Saturday, July 2, 2011

Make Laundry Detergent, Duggar Family

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Loretta Making Detergent

﻿ Here at the Millersburg, Ohio, Barn Inn Bed and Breakfast we have, for many years been recycling and using energy efficient lighting in an effort to transition to a greener property. We have recently, for pennies on the dollar, made our own chemical-free laundry detergent. Easily made with a few common ingredients, a ten gallon batch of laundry detergent costs only $2.00 to make, is phosphate free, cleans well, and smells wonderful. This is the recipe obtained from the Duggar family who, in May of 2009, stayed with us at The Barn Inn Bed and Breakfast. At the cost of $2.00 per batch, using 1/4 cup of soap for front loading machines, the cost is less than .01 per load. A top loading machine uses more water; therefore requires 5/8 cup of soap per load. Here's the Duggar Family Detergent recipe.

Grate the Fels-Naptha soap bar. The easiest way is in a food processor. You must grate it so that it will dissolve easily. It does not melt quickly if chunked with a knife. Place the grated soap to a saucepan with 4 cups of water and stir continually over medium-low heat until soap is completely dissolved.

Fill a five gallon bucket half full of hot tap water. Add the melted soap, washing soda, and Borax and stir well until all powder is dissolved. Fill the bucket to the top with more hot water. Stir, cover and allow it to sit overnight to thicken.

Stir and fill a used, clean laundry soap container half full with soap, then fill the container with water. Shake the container before each use as the soap will jel.

The Fels-Naptha gives the detergent a pleasant lemon scent; however, if you wish to add more scents, you may do so after the soap has cooled. Options are essential oils, lavender, rosemary, tea tree oil, etc.